UConn coach Dan Hurley won’t shy away from sideline behavior

INDIANAPOLIS — Dan Hurley acknowledges that criticism of his sideline conduct is justifiable.

A little over a day before UConn’s Final Four game versus Illinois, Hurley stated he doesn’t seek pity for how his coaching approach is perceived.

“I am not a victim. I acted as I did. I made my choices,” he said during his pregame press conference on Friday. “Our program doesn’t tolerate victims, and I, a 53-year-old man, am certainly not one. I prefer not to dwell on this, as it distracts from the team. However, from my perspective, and considering my upbringing in the sport and my Jersey roots, we see the upcoming game not merely as a game, but as a struggle, a battle.”

Following Braylon Mullins’ game-winning three-pointer against Duke on Sunday evening, Hurley had a strange face-to-face confrontation with referee Roger Ayers, an action that might have resulted in a technical foul at a critical juncture. Hurley mentioned he had anticipated a chest bump from Ayers and joked about the incident once more on Friday.

“I found it rather appropriate that they presented me with that racing helmet. I could have likely used it Sunday night,” Hurley commented on the commemorative racing helmet he received upon his arrival in Indianapolis this week. “Or perhaps that would have been worse.”

Hurley anticipates a “fierce contest” against Illinois, whom UConn overcame 74-61 in November at Madison Square Garden. During that prior match, Keaton Wagler, a potential lottery pick, saw a season-low 14 minutes of play. Hurley noted Wagler’s development since then, remarking that he “clearly handles the ball considerably more” now.

Regarding his personal evolution as an impassioned leader for his team, Hurley conveyed his intention to remain unchanged.

“My preferred reality, which I believe is the most enriching, involves genuine human interaction and disconnecting from devices,” he declared. He added, “I tend to receive more negative feedback from individuals on social media compared to when I encounter people in person, because typically when I meet regular folks, they chuckle or grin, often saying something like, ‘You’re that guy from the video. You seem a bit wild, but I sense you’re a good person.'”